Changes to ICC building codes development process aimed at more in-depth vetting of proposals

The International Code Council (ICC) is revising its code development process to provide more in-depth scrutiny of code change proposals.

The changes will take effect in 2024-2026 for the development of the 2027 International Codes (I-Codes). They will move the development process to an integrated and continuous three-year cycle.

In the new timeline, the first year will include two Committee Action Hearings for Group A Codes; year two will include two Committee Action Hearings for Group B Codes; and year three will be the joint Public Comment Hearings and Online Governmental Consensus Vote for both Group A and B Codes.

“The addition of the second Committee Actions Hearings in year one and two will foster a more in-depth vetting of code change proposals, allowing an opportunity for the committee members to review and evaluate the original proposals and consider the submitted responses,” according to an ICC news release. “This also provides more opportunity for proponents to build consensus for their code change proposal and ensure the best version of their intended improvement to the existing codes.”

With combined Public Comment Hearings in the third year, voting members will be able to vote on all suggested changes to the next edition of the I-Codes at one time, the release says. The updated process also provides more opportunity for proposed new referenced standards to be developed and finalized on a consistent timeline regardless of the group (Group A or B) with which they are associated.